Universal headboard construction

ABSTRACT

A bed includes a mounting with an upstanding projection of a size to receive and engage into a standarized recess of an interchangeable headboard or footboard. The projection is bounded on each side by a channel member which engages over the front and rear surfaces bounding the recess of the headboard and holds it against displacement in all directions. The headboard (footboard) is reversible and may be used either at the front or rear of the bed.

llnite tes atent 1191 1111 3,845,511

Benoit et a1. Nov. 5, 1974 UNIVERSAL HEADBOARD 3,343,182 9/1967 Waters .1 5/92 CGNSTRUCTION 3,621,497 1 1 1971 Fitzgerald 5/280 [75] Inventors: Roland A. Benoit, Danielson;

1 Richard Duprey, Dayvme' both Primary Exam1net'CaSm1r A. Nunbcrg of Conn, Attorney, Agent, or FirmArthur A. March [73] Assignee: linterroyal Corporation, New York,

[22] Filed: Aug. 10, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT A bed includes a mounting with an upstanding projec- [21] Appl. No.: 279,434 tion of a size to receive and engage into a standarized recess of an interchangeable headboard or footboard. 52 11s. c1. 5/53 R 5/92 5/280 R The pmlectlon is bounded each Side by channel [51] Int. CL g 7/10 member wh1ch engages over the front and rear sur- [58] Field R, 317 faces bounding the recess of the headboard and holds it against displacement in all directions. The head- 5/327 312/257 248/3451 297/440 board (footboard) is reversible and may be used either [56] References Cited at the front or rear of the bed.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 2,671,910 3/1954 Wallen 5/280 PATENTEDNUV SISM 3,23%511 SHEET 20? 2 IJNWERSAL ll-IEADBOARD CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field Of The Invention This invention relates in general to the construction of beds and, in particular, to a new and useful interchangeable headboard construction and to an improved simplified headboard mounting.

2. Description Of The Prior Art At the present time, headboards are affixed to bed frames usually by bolting them in position at the appropriate end of the bed frame. With such a construction, it is necessary that the bolt openings for the headboard be spaced so as to align them with fittings on the bed frame, or the headboard or footboard must be drilled in order to provide openings which align with the bed fittings in order to secure it in position on the frame. The known constructions do not make it possible to easily standardize the connection for a headboard and they usually require that separatemounting elements In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a headboard or footboard mounting which may be formed integral with or as a continuation of the bedframe and which includes spaced apart upstanding projections forming receiving channels at horizontally spaced locations for engaging into a standardized recess of a headboard which is merely slid downwardly into the receiving channels. With such a construction, it is possible to make the headboard (footboard) of any size and it can be easily fitted into the mounting merely by ensuring that the recess which engages over the upstanding projection elements of the frame are formed uniformly. A further advantage of the construction is that the headboard need only be lowered downwardly into the receiving channels either at the foot or head of the beds and'in either a front position or a reversed position to cause the whole headboard to be locked firmly in position and steadied against movement in all directions. The receiving channels may advantageously include a resilient portion which is biased inwardly to tend to close the receiving channel and which is sprung outwardly when the headboard is slid into an engaged position.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved headboard or footboard mounting which includes laterally spaced upstanding members forming an engagement projection on a bed frame which engages into a recess defined in a bottom edge of a headboard or footboard.

A further object of the invention is to provide a headboard or footboard mounting which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, rugged in design and which is easy to install.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses. reference should be had to the accompanying drawing and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the Drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front top perspective view of a bed constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevational view of the bed indicated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded front perspective view of the headboard and the mounting.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing in particular, the invention embodied therein comprises, a bed, generally designated 10, which includes a footboard l2 and a headboard 14 which are interchangeable and reversible.

In accordance with the invention, the bed It) is provided with a headboard or footboard mounting which comprises laterally spaced longitudinal members 16 and 18 which extend outwardly beyond an end frame member or transverse member 20 and which carry spaced upstanding projections or receiving elements 22 and 24, respectively. The receiving elements 22 and 24 define vertically extending channels 26 and 26', respectively, of a size to engage the marginal areas of reinforced walls 28 and 30, bounding a recess 32 extending upwardly from a bottom edge 34 of the headboard 18 or the footboard 12. The top edge 36 of the recess 32 engages on a top support 28 and 28' of the respec tive projections 22 and 24.

In the preferred arrangement, interior vertical walls 40 of the interior of the channel members 26 and 26' are tapered outwardly toward the bottom slightly in order to provide a holding engagement with the reinforced side edges 28 and 30 of the headboard 18. In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, one of the side edges of the channel 26 is biased inwardly by a spring member 42 in order to provide a resilient engagement with the headboard in those instances where it is desirable or necessary.

Thus, the invention provides a simple means for readily and easily positioning and securing a headboard to a bed frame by engaging the headboard in upstanding elements or receiving channels arranged at laterally spaced locations on the frame and engageable into a single standardized recess of a headboard. The downward engagement of the headboard into the receiving channels is sufficient to hold the headboard against movement in all directions. When the headboard is removed manually, however, it is merely necessary to lift it upwardly out of the receiving channels.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

l. A headboard mounting, comprising a bed frame having means defining upright receiving channel means opening outwardly in respective opposite directions, and a headboard having a bottom with an upwardly extending recess with a marginal wall edge on each side of the recess engageable in the respective receiving channels.

2. A headboard mounting according to claim 1, wherein said frame includes two laterally spaced out- 5. A headboard mounting according to claim 1,

wherein said receiving channels have a top wall portion adapted to engage the headboard at the top of the recess of the headboard when the headboard is engaged in the receiving channels.

6. A headboard mounting according to claim 1, wherein said receiving channels have a resilient side wall resiliently engaged with the headboard.

7. A headboard mounting according to claim 1, wherein said headboard is constructed on each side so that it is interchangeable with said receiving channel means with either side facing outwardly.

8. A headboard mounting according to claim 1, wherein said receiving channel means is located at the foot of said bed. 

1. A headboard mounting, comprising a bed frame having means defining upright receiving channel means opening outwardly in respective opposite directions, and a headboard having a bottom with an upwardly extending recess with a marginal wall edge on each side of the recess engageable in the respective receiving channels.
 2. A headboard mounting according to claim 1, wherein said frame includes two laterally spaced outwardly extending frame members, said receiving channel means comprising an upright member on each frame, each defining a vertically extending receiving channel engageable with the marginal wall edge on the respective sides of the recess.
 3. A headboard mounting according to claim 2, wherein said headboard has a reinforced marginal wall portion at each side of the recess which engages into a respective one of said vertically extending receiving channels.
 4. A headboard mounting according to claim 3, wherein said receiving channels have an inner wall sloping downwardly and outwardly toward the bottom.
 5. A headboard mounting according to claim 1, wherein said receiving channels have a top wall portion adapted to engage the headboard at the top of the recess of the headboard when the headboard is engaged in the receiving channels.
 6. A headboard mounting according to claim 1, wherein said receiving channels have a resilient side wall resiliently engaged with the headboard.
 7. A headboard mounting according to claim 1, wherein said headboard is constructed on each side so that it is interchangeable with said receiving channel means with either side facing outwardly.
 8. A headboard mounting according to claim 1, wherein said receiving channel means is located at the foot of said bed. 